Shadowing Practice: Invention Of Zero - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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And, it's complete!
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Oh! You're back.
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I've missed you.
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So, what do you think of my new collection of Numbers!
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Something is missing?
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That's impossible.
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Everything's here. There's nothing missing.
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Oh, wait. Now I see.
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You are talking about the number that denotes nothing.
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You are talking about the number Zero! Right?
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So, let's zero in!
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Oh, sorry. I mean, zooom in.
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Don't you wonder why the number zero is so important in mathematics?
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When it only means nothing?
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Well kids, it because of the two very different and very important purposes..
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..that zero serves.
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Firstly, it's Zero that separates the negative numbers from the positives.
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Secondly, it serves as a place holder for writing numbers.
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Consider the number 10 for example.
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It has two parts.
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1 and 0. The number zero is placed here to say,..
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..that it is 10 times bigger than the number 1!
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However, people from ancient times could not wrap their heads around the idea..
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..of denoting nothing, by something.
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So, they never considered zero as a number.
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Consider this man, for example.
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Excuse me, Sir.
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Will you please tell me how many sheep you have now?
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I don't have even 1 sheep.
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You see, people were able to communicate the idea of nothingness...
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Uh.. One minute, Sir.
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But they did not have a representation for it.
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What is it?
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My sheep. Oh, yes of course. I'm sorry.
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Here you go.
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It was not until 628 AD..
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..that zero became an important part of the number system, in East India.
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An Indian Astronomer and Mathematician, Brahmagupta..
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..took the idea of nothingness...
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Symbolized it with a dot.
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And, included it in the number system.
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This was the first time in the whole world..
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..that zero was included in the number club.
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Hey, hold on.
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Wait a minute.
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Not so fast, with your celebrations there, peeps.
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Although, Brahmagupta gave us the rules for using zero in calculations..
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..defining it's very first important use.
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He never introduced zero for it's second purpose.
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That is, as a place holder digit.
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It was another Indian mathematician, Aryabhata.
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Who gave rules to use zero as a place holder.
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This helped representing numbers like 10, with 1 and 0.
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Instead of coming up with a whole new symbol for them.
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Thanks to these mathematicians for nothing!
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I mean zero.
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Soon this revolutionary knowledge spread around the whole world.
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And, mathematicians across the globe started using it in their calculations.
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Today, zero also forms an integral part of Physics, Chemistry..
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..Astronomy and Computer Science too.
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Welcome, Welcome.
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We have been waiting for you all.
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Our family of numbers with the hero, Zero.
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So now, let's look at some of his properties.
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When the integers are placed on a number line..
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..number 0 places itself before number 1.
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The number 0 is neither negative nor positive.
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It's a natural number.
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Come friends, let's take this Zero back to our number collection.
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Oh, look at this.
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Isn't our Zero looking beautiful?
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What? No way. Something is missing again?
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1..2..3..4... Oh! I see, I remember.
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TRIVIA TIME!
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There is a large number called Googol.
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That is written as 1 followed by a hundred zeros.
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And do you know who coined it?
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Someone just like you.
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Googol. Milton Sirotta, the 9 year old nephew of US mathematician Edward Kasner..
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..came up with the term Googol.
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That's a lot of zeros, isn't it?
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But wait till you hear about Googol Plex.
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Which is 1 followed by 1 googol zeros.
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Even Google could not have found me there.
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Wait. Doesn't Google sound like Googol?
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It does! And that's because the popular search engine derived it's name from the number Googol.
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And that my friend, is the story of number zero.
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So kids, I hope you learnt something interesting today.
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To know more about such cool inventions, tune in next time.
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This is me zoooming out.
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Hey, kids. You liked my videos, didn't you?
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Before you go, don't forget to click on the subscribe button and the bell.
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So you won't miss out on my latest videos.
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See you.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will delve into an intriguing topic: the invention of the number zero. Through this exploration, you will practice your English listening and speaking skills by absorbing essential vocabulary and engaging in shadowing exercises. The video explains the significance of zero in mathematics and its historical development. Understanding its role can enhance your comprehension of numerical concepts and improve your ability to articulate thoughts on abstract ideas in English. You'll get the chance to not only learn about a critical math concept but also to practice your pronunciation and fluency as you shadow the speaker's tone and pace.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Number: A mathematical value used for counting and calculations.
  • Placeholder: A digit that holds a place in a number, essential for understanding its value.
  • Negative numbers: Numbers less than zero.
  • Positive numbers: Numbers greater than zero.
  • Nothingness: The state of not having anything, which zero represents.
  • Mathematician: A person skilled in mathematics.
  • Communicate: To share or exchange information or ideas.
  • Symbolized: To represent something in a concise way.

Practice Tips

To make the most of your English learning experience while watching this video, utilize the shadowing technique. As you listen to the speaker, try to repeat the sentences immediately after you hear them. This will help you get accustomed to their rhythm and pronunciation. Given the engaging tone and moderate speed of the video, you can effectively use this material for your IELTS speaking practice. Start by focusing on key phrases from the video transcript, such as "the number zero" and "significance in mathematics." As you shadow, emphasize important words, paying attention to the speaker's intonation. This will not only improve your speaking abilities but also your listening comprehension. Remember, the goal of shadow speech is to mimic the nuances of natural conversation, bringing you closer to fluency as you articulate abstract concepts, like zero, in English confidently.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.